Procurement & Payment Services

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How To...

Cardholders are responsible for placing all orders, receiving all products and maintaining
accurate and organized records for every Procurement Card transaction - charge or
credit. All documents must be organized, up-to-date and appropriately filed with
their respective billing statements. Procurement Card documents are subject to audit,
internally and externally, at any time, and must be kept for a total of seven (six
years, plus the current fiscal year).

Proper documentation for all transactions is required and includes, but is not limited
to: order forms, packing slips, itemized receipts, invoices, credit pending forms,
intended use, event information including, but not limited to: fliers or invitations,
gues lists/attendance sheets, agenda and a brief explanation of the purpose of the
event and how it supports the mission of the department and/or College.

Required Purchasing Practices

Funds must be available at the time of purchase in the State/IFR budged used for payment.
Be aware that Procurement Card expenses are not visible in the State/IFR default budget
(SMRT) until the transaction has been processed for payment by the vendor.

Use of the card is strictly limited to the purchase of goods and services for official
state use only. Purchases intended for payment using non-state funding sources or
for goods and services of personal use, are not permitted. Improper use may subject
the employee to suspension of privileges or appropriate disciplinary action.

Always stay within the established limits of the Procurement Card account. Do not
"split order" to accommodtae use of the Procurement Card. Traditional purchasing procedures,
such as the purchase requisition process, must still be followed.

All purchases valued at $250 or less, that fall within program guidelines, and the
vendor accepts VISA, require the use of the Procurement Card for payment.

Pre-payment is not permitted for goods or services, including any/all deposits. Please
do not proceed with any transaction that requires payment prior to shipping of product
or completion of services.

Be able to substantiate/justify reasonableness of price for items and/or services
purchased.

Keep the Procurement Card and account information in a secure place. Sharing of account
information or use of the card by another individual, including members of the department,
is not permitted and may subject the cardholder and/or department to permanent revocation
of the Procurement Card account.

All Procurement Card orders must be placed directly with the vendor by the cardholder.
Employees that have not been issued a Procurement Card are not authorized to place
orders and request payment by a cardholder. Non-cardholders are not permitted to obligate
State funds over $250 (per NYS Finance Law) and have not been trained in Procurement
Card requirements.

Cardholders may place orders via telephone, fax (without account information), online,
or retail point-of-purchase. Be prepared to provide the following information to the
vendor:

Cardholder name and account number (if by fax, please call the vendor to provide the
account number)

All packages must be delivered directly to the cardholder. Open any/all packages
as soon as they arrive to ensure the product is correct and in good condition. If
a return for an item(s) becomes necessary, be aware that vendors do not always allow
a lengthy period of time in which to report issues/claims.

If an item arrives damaged or is not the correct item and needs to be returned for
credit, the cardholder should follow the procedures below for return the item for
full credit. A replacement may or may not be requested.

Call the vendor to alert them of the damage/error immediately.

Be prepared to minimally provide the following information to the vendor:

Order number typically located on the packing slip or confirmation

Cardholder name and account number

When product is returned due to damage from shipping or manufacturer defect, or due
to vendor error, the cardholder is not responsible for paying reutrn shipping charges.
The vendor must issue a prepaid return label, "call tag" or pick up the item(s) at
the vendor's expense

A vendor will give specific instructions for returning the item(s) that may include
written authorization or a return authorization number (RA or RMA number) to be referenced
on the return package; packaging instructions, etc. Please follow these instructions
exactly.

Once the item(s) has been received by the vendor, a full credit for that item, including
its original shipping cost, must be issued to the original Procurement Card account.
Cash refunds are not allowed!

If a replacement item is requested by the cardholder, a new charge with all new shipping
costs (if applicable) should be submitted through Citibank by the vendor.

The cardholder must keep a Credit Pending Form (PC03) in the pending folder to use as backup documentation when the credit appears on a
future statement.

Make a copy of the original Order Form (PC02) to keep in the pending folder if a replacement
was requested.

A cardholder may opt to return an item that was ordered incorrectly, not what was
expected or is no longer needed. In these situations, the above process applies with
the exception of return shipping charges. The cardholder may be responsible for return
shipping charges; will, most likely, not be refunded the original shipping charges
and may be subject to a restocking fee (a percentage of the original cost for the
handling of the item back into inventory by the vendor). A restocking fee may vary
from minimal (1-2%) to more costly (25-30%). The cardholder must compare the costs
associated with the return with the original cost of the item(s). It may be advantageous
to the department, as well as the college, to find another use within the department
or College community.

A Credit Pending Form is required should the cardholder decide to return the item(s)
and must be kept in the pending folder to use as back up documentation when the credit
appears on a future statement.

Obtaining Credits & Resolving Disputes

Cardholders must attempt to resolve all discrepancies directly with the vendor within
a reasonable timeframe (minimally, allow one full billing cycle for resolution). Cardholders
must document communications with a vendor by utilizing a Credit Pending Form (PC03). Documentation should include, but is not limited to:

Contact name

Dates/timeline of communications

Expected outcome based on communications

If a resolution cannot be established, the cardholder should contact the Program Administrator for assistance by sending the documented communications and explanation of the problem.
The Program Administrator will recommend or initiate appropriate actions necessary
to resolve the matter. Should the Program Administrator be unsuccessful, a formal
dispute may be processed with Citibank.

Under no circumstances may cash or any cash equivalent (e.g., gift card) be accepted
by the cardholder to resolve a credit situation.

Cardholders are required to keep complete procurement records for every transaction
made against the VISA account, charge or credit, from beginning to end, for a total
of seven (7) fiscal years. This minimally includes order forms, packing slips, invoices
(if provided), credit pending forms, and event information (if applicable), including,
but not limited to: fliers or invitations, guest lists/attendance sheets, agenda and
a brief explanaton of the purpose of the event and how it supports the mission of
the department and/or College.

It is important that cardholders maintain all Procurement Card records in an accurate,
organized and up-to-date fashion since audits by the Program Administrator, SUNY or
the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) do not require any advance notice.

Cardholders must maintain all open orders and respective documents in a separate "pending"
folder to be matched to the corresponding Citibank staements at the end of each billing
cycle. Documentation for transactions not appearing on the statement are to remain
in the pending folder to matched to a future statement.

NOTE: Documentation for product received and services completed that do not appear on a
Citibank statement for two or more billing cycles will require follow up by the cardholder
with the vendor to ensure payments are made in a timely fashion. This is especially
important at the end of a fiscal year when funding will lapse and will no longer be
available for outstanding charges after July 1 of each year (i.e., the Procurement
Card cannot be used after July 1 each year for payment of transactions made in the
previous fiscal year; non-state funds will be required for payment).

Following a monthly reconciliation/certification process, cardholders are required
to have the appropriate supervisor review the statement, all backup documentation
and sign the printed certification statement before a cardholder files the documentation
into a closed, fiscal year folder where it will remain until the completion of the
seven (7) year audit period or the cardholder changes departments or separates from
the College.

The following procedures are necessary to ensure proper Procurement Card account management:

Itemized receipts/packing lists are attached to the back of the respective Order Form

All pricing is "as quoted". Discrepancies are reported to the vendor immediately and
a credit process is started, when necessary. A Credit Pending Form is completed and
filed as "pending" for receipt of future credit.

If multiple receipts are issued for one transaction, all associated receipts should
be stapled together and filed with the respective Order Form and statement. The cumulative
total contained on all receipts or invoices should not exceed the original quote.

For backorder situations where the order may extend over multiple billing cycles,
make a copy of the original Order form and highlight the item(s) that has not yet
been received. Keep the highlighted copy in the pending folder until the item is received.
Use the original as backup for the current statement. Continue this until all items
are received and the order is complete.

Sales tax charges are identified and vendor is contacted to begin a credit process.
A Credit Pending Form is completed and filed as "pending" until receipt of future
credit.

Follow up with the vendor by the cardholder is required for those credits that are
not processed to the account in a timely fashion. Attach the respective Credit Pending
Form to the statement once the credit appears on a Citibank statement.

If a charge appears on a Citibank statement for an item ordered but not recieved,
the vendor must be contacted to determine the status of the order. Vendors are not
permitted to submit charges to Citibank until goods have shipped or services have
been completed. Pre-payment and/or deposits for goods or services are not permitted.